Design Include Alternative Flouride, but Decision Not Finalized

The Town Council briefly touched on upgrades to its water treatment facility during a Tuesday meeting. The Town hosted a meeting with investors recently prior to a bond issuance that’s expected to fund a large portion of the upgrades.

Plans currently call for the use of sodium fluoride. Jim Powers with the Indiana State Department of Health attended the meeting, and says Culver was one of the earlier communities to begin fluoridating.

“Over 3-thousand studies have indicated that it’s safe and effective,” says Powers. “It cuts the decay rates substantially. So you’ve got people in this community that grew up on this and have a lifetime of dental benefits.”

The previous fluoride chemical Culver was using in its water treatment process was seen as quite corrosive.

Current plans call for the use of sodium fluoride – which is often considered less corrosive. Whether the Town Council will indeed use the chemical which aids in the prevention of tooth decay is a future decision.

Should the Town opt not to use sodium fluoride in its water treatment, a savings of $24-thousand would be seen. Medical professionals have advised the Town to balance the cost savings against public health benefits.

Powers says the corrosion Culver has experienced is rare.

“These problems that you’ve had with corrosion are not widespread, otherwise you have the liquid fluoride,” says Powers. “It’s just not widespread in that you have an operational problem.”

A water rate ordinance will be considered by the Town Council at a special meeting on June 15th. Following that, bonds are expected to be issued so construction can begin.

The Town Council is anticipated to make a decision after weeks of gathering public opinion.

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MAX 98.3 FM News Director Mary Perren is glad to be back home in northern Indiana and on the radio. She’s a North Judson native with more than 20 years of news experience. She’s worked in print and radio news in Indianapolis, Hopkinsville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn. and most recently in Winamac before taking over as news director for Kankakee Valley Broadcasting. Her work has been honored by the Associated Press, StateNets News Association, Curb Foundation, Hoosier State Press Association and IBA.

When she’s not sitting in the anchor chair or chasing down news, Mary enjoys shopping for antiques, attending concerts and taking long walks and rides in her vintage Saab convertible, weather permitting. She’s also a hopelessly devoted Chicago Cubs fanatic who still cringes at the mention of Steve Garvey and Josh Beckett and maintains it wasn’t Steve Bartman’s fault.